Tongnanlong is a giant dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic period around 145 million years ago. Its name means “Tongnan District dragon,” as it was found in the Tongnan District of Chongqing, China. The scientific name for this dinosaur is Tongnanlong zhimingi.
The first discovery of Tongnanlong was made in 1998 when workers were building a structure along Dafo Street. This discovery included parts of its backbone, shoulder, and some leg bones. In 2025, scientists officially named it as a new type of dinosaur.
Tongnanlong is quite big, measuring about 25 to 26 meters long. It belongs to a family of dinosaurs called Mamenchisauridae, which are known for their long necks and large body sizes.
Experts placed Tongnanlong close to another well-known dinosaur called Mamenchisaurus in a family tree of dinosaurs. This helps scientists understand its place in the history of dinosaurs.
Tongnanlong lived in an environment shared with other creatures, including other dinosaurs like Qijianglong and Mamenchisaurus. There were also different species of fish and turtles present at that time.
In summary, Tongnanlong is a fascinating dinosaur from China that adds to our knowledge of the diverse world of dinosaurs that existed millions of years ago.